Corey Pavin's visit to Milwaukee last summer was both historic and lucrative.
No wonder he wants to do it again.
Pavin, who won the championship in the 2006 U.S. Bank Championship at Brown Deer Park, announced Tuesday that he will be back to defend his title when the tournament marks its 40th anniversary July 16-22.
Pavin led the 2006 tourney from wire to wire, shooting a tour-record 26 during the first nine holes and never relinquishing the lead. Given what transpired, Pavin's return trip this year wouldn't have been in doubt in the past, but the Milwaukee tourney is being held the same weekend as the British Open.
"I said I wasn't sure what I was going to do after the tournament last year if I was in the British Open," Pavin said Tuesday. "I. kind of made that statement and thought ‘That was really a dumb thing to say.' I was going to come back here no matter what.
"If I get into the British open now, there is just no question I'll be back here to defend my title. It's been 10 years since I won a tournament. I want to defend my title, simple as that.
"I've played this tournament a lot over the years. Everybody that runs the tournament, the fans the people of Milwaukee are good people. I want to come back here and see if I can do it again."
Pavin also won the tournament, which was then known as the Greater Milwaukee Open, at Tuckaway Country Club in 1986. In that year, he won $72,000 from a $400,000 purse. Last year, he wan $720,000 from a purse of $4 million.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
